Real Leather Vs. Faux Leather: Which Is Better for Office Furniture?

Are you planning to revamp your office and thinking of selecting the chic leather furniture this time? If so, you must have sound knowledge about the different types of leather. Although real leather and faux leather look the same, the two have multiple differences. You must compare real leather vs. faux leather in the light of these differences to pick the one that is right for your office use.

Since everyone looks for durability in their furniture upholstery, you must compare things like real leather vs. faux leather durability to make the right choice. So, how will you do that? The good news is that we have done the research part for you and have discussed the difference between leather and faux leather in this blog.

As you read on, you will notice that we have shared a detailed comparison of faux leather vs. real leather furniture here. Once you are done reading this article, you will have a holistic view of the difference between leather and faux leather. Thus, selecting your favorite modern office chair for your workspace will become much easier. So, let’s dig into the details!

Different Types of Leather

There are mainly three types of leather upholstery that you may find in the market: Faux leather, bonded leather, and real leather. However, faux leather and real leather are the ones that people usually sought for.

Faux leather is often referred to as PU leather as well. It is quite affordable and is available in multiple colors too. You can expect a good 2-year length without any complaints with faux leather. You may smell a slight synthetic smell in faux leather mid-century office chairs because the makers have used synthetic materials instead of animal hide in making this leather type.

Real leather is the most expensive leather type on the market. It is made using a hundred percent pure animal skin. This type is stiff and thick but softens up with prolonged use. It requires high maintenance, but those who maintain it well can enjoy using it for more than 20 years. Being a breathable and biodegradable upholstery, this hypoallergenic material has a unique earthy smell. 

How to Know Which Leather Type Is Suitable for Me?

Although understanding the basics about the different types of leather is a simple task, knowing which type is better for office use is tricky. You have to evaluate whether you should use a certain leather type to revamp the best budget office chair or not. The evaluation entails a comparison of the pros and cons of real leather vs. faux leather. So, let’s evaluate faux leather vs. real leather furniture in the light of these details. 

Pros of Faux Leather

Here are the pros of using faux leather for your office furniture: 

Free of Animal Cruelty

If you are against animal cruelty, you would love to have faux leather (aka PU leather at times). This is because faux leather is made using synthetic materials, and no animals are harmed in their making. 

Affordable and Looks Realistic

If you compare faux leather vs. real leather furniture, faux leather is more budget-friendly. So, it is ideal for customers who are looking for cost-effective leather. The great part is that although faux leather is not real leather, it looks exactly like real leather. So, people often confuse it with the real one. 

Durable

In comparison with bonded leather, faux leather is more durable. It does not crack or peel with time and is fade resistant as well. Above all that, if you take good care of its maintenance, faux leather furniture can be your partner for up to 2 years. 

Soft

Faux leather is quite soft and supple. That's why many people prefer it over bonded leather. 

Environment friendly

If you compare the environmental-friendliness of real leather vs. faux leather, faux leather is not biodegradable. Still, faux leather is considered environmentally friendly because it does not use many natural resources, and neither does it have a messy manufacturing process. 

Easier Maintenance

Since faux leather is lightweight, it is easier to cut and sew. Not just that, its material is such that you are only required to wipe it with a damp cloth daily to keep it clean. 

Vast Range of Colors

The best part is that you get a lot of fashion freedom with faux leather because it can be dyed in any color and printed with any interesting pattern to add style to your furniture. 

Cons of Faux Leather

Along with all the pros, faux leather has a few cons too, so let's see what those are. 

Non-Breathable Material

Faux leather has a synthetic coating which makes it unbreathable, unlike real leather. So, it can get sticky if you use it for sitting for an extended period during a humid season. 

Non-Hypoallergenic

If you have sensitive skin, you should better go for some other upholstery like real leather. This is because faux leather is not hypoallergenic. 

Doesn’t Get Patina with Time

Patina is a glossy shine that real leather gets when you use it for a longer period. Faux leather does not get patina with time unlike real leather. 

Comparatively More Prone to Tearing

If you draw a comparison of real leather vs. faux leather, only real leather offers you the guarantee that it won't tear with time. The faux leather is prone to punctures and tears with time. 

Pros of Real Leather

Just like we discussed faux leather, here are the details of the pros of real leather. 

Hypoallergenic

If you have sensitive skin, you should definitely go for real leather. This is because real leather is hypoallergenic and is resistant to common allergens such as mites and pet dander. 

Biodegradable

Since real leather is made using real animal skin, it is organic in nature. Thus, it can decompose easily and is considered biodegradable. Once decomposed, you can use it for fertilizing plants as well. 

Gets Patina Over Time

The glossy shine that real leather gets is known as patina. Patina adds to its aesthetics and makes it look more luxurious and lustrous with time. 

Breathable

The animal skin is naturally porous, and thus the real leather has that porosity too. So, one of the differences between real and faux leather is that real leather is breathable. 

Highly Durable

If you compare faux leather vs. real leather durability, real leather is more durable and stronger. Thus, it can serve you well for more than 20 years.

Cons of Real Leather

So, what are the cons of real leather? 

Expensive

A major problem that many buyers experience is a stiff budget. Since real leather is too expensive, people with a stiff budget cannot afford it. 

Not Environment-Friendly

If you look at the real leather office chairs, they are made using chrome-tanned leather. Since this process can pollute the natural environment, real leather’s manufacturing process is not environment friendly. 

Can Catch Stains Easily

Since real leather is naturally absorbent, it can easily catch any stain. So, if you are planning to buy real leather, you will have to be very particular about its maintenance.
 

Final Words

Coming towards the end of our real leather vs. faux leather comparison, we hope that you will be able to select your favorite leather type now and reupholster the office chair accordingly. The major check for deciding whether to go for faux leather or real leather is based on durability and budget. Once you have decided that picking your favorite leather type will become easier, apart from that, if you are looking for some new office chairs and accessories, you should go for the Autonomous employee purchase program for availing the best discounts.